
Private Equity Bets Big on Pro Sports as Lakers Sale Signals a Boom in Team Ownership
Private equity investment in professional sports is rising as stable media rights and arena-related revenues attract investors. The Lakers’ sale to Thrive Capital’s Joshua Kushner and Bob Iger exemplifies a growing trend where PE firms pursue long-horizon, high-value stakes, with large portions of sports M&A driven by private-equity activity—despite higher valuations and ongoing governance considerations.












